Another journey?
by Cheshire-Poison
Summary: Okay, tried this once, fixed it. Should be better now. Rated for later chapters. Title pretty much explains it all, except I brought Dorian Gray back and Skinner Is not, repeat, IS NOT, a crackly crisp.
1. The End of the Beginning

A/n: Bah, Disclaimer: I do not own Any characters or anything to do with LXG, even though I still love it. I just had to bring back Dorian Gray, he's my fave character and all the other characters will remain in tact even though I may add a few, and then, they will be mine! (Laughs manically) And I also assumed Nemo could speak Arabic. This is actually a little continuance at the end of the movie. Oh and I also didn't include the Skinner burned to a crispy crunch scene. Sorry to anyone who likes to stick absolutely and to every detail with the movie.

*~*~*

Dorian Gray stood and realized what had happened. Then he tried to remove the sword from his stomach. The pain wasn't as horrible as it seemed to be, but, after all, he was an immortal. Or at least he still thought so. 

He looked down at his portrait. In tact, he noted. The face was his in the portrait. What had happened, he wondered. Someone must have revived him. But who? Who in this place? He looked around disdainfully and, again, tried to remove the sword. It slipped and he managed to pull it out. He placed it lightly on the bed, took his portrait, and left.

*~*~*

Tom Sawyer walked though the hallway in a daze.

"Tom? Is something wrong?" He heard a voice come from behind him. He turned to face the voice and Mina Harker gasped.

"Quartermain's dead" he stumbled over his words, wishing they weren't true.

"Where?" Mina quickly asked, hoping maybe there was a sliver of life left in him.

"In the tower, M stabbed him, in the back, he just collapsed," Tom struggled. He tried not to remember his last words. Mina struggled with her conscience for a minute and then ran to Dr. Jekyll's room. He quickly looked up from his watch that had been clicking in his hand and saw the worried look on Mrs. Harker's face. 

"Dr. Jekyll, I need you to watch Mr. Sawyer, he's dazed in the hallway, and do not ask why until he calms down," she rushed and Dr. Jekyll quickly stood up to help Tom. Mina flew to the tower and saw Quartermain's limp figure lying against a heap of stools. She gasped inwardly and grabbed his body. A single tear ran down her porcelain skin. She shook it off and took a running jump at the window and landed carefully on the snowy ground. She then saw everyone else in the league race outside and heard a resounding crash vibrate through the ice canyon.

"What happened to the bloke?" Skinner asked and suddenly saw the knife sticking out of Quartermain's back.

"He's dead" Mina said sadly. Nemo began to chant in Arabic and everyone stood in silence, freezing ice crystals pounding against their bodies.

*~*~*

A/n: Sorry, short chapter. The next scene is going to be the Africa scene, so really, there's nothing new. So far.


	2. Africa

A/n: Ah, chapter 2! Disclaimer stuff, I don't own LXG or anything to do with LXG. And Sorry about the Skinner thing, I was nutso when I wrote the first chapter and so sorry about that and well now he's alive again! Lots of apologies and I think the league might forgive Dorian a bit too fast but its all for time saving and a long dragged out battle anyways so I shorthanded it. If you don't like it, feel free to complain in your review.

*~*~*

The league stood in the blaring hot sun of Africa. Mina Harker's clothes were dragging her down but she didn't mind the heat compared to the sadness she felt at that moment.  Dorian Gray was standing next to her, unsure what to say. Tom Sawyer walked up to the grave and placed his gun on top of the mound of dirt. Skinner heard him mumble a couple words but really wasn't listening to anyone or anything. The thought 'Something's happening' kept running through his head but, glancing around, the only thing happening was the African chief's chanting and Captain Nemo rustling the savannah grass below his feet uncomfortably. He sighed and wiped his forehead.

"Goodbye, Quartermain," Dorian said and everyone followed along behind him, saying their goodbyes. This truly was the saddest thing Tom Sawyer had ever experienced. Maybe it was only a short time he had spent with Quartermain but he felt like he was a new father to him and now he was gone. Just disappeared, like that. The league walked through the yellowed grass and suddenly the earth began to shake beneath them. The African Chief's chants became louder and louder and dark, menacing clouds began to form. Dorian turned back to the grave and saw Quartermain's grave dug up and Quartermain standing next to the chief, apparently thanking him.

"Gray, what are you looking-" Tom turned to see Quartermain smiling at him. He rubbed his eyes, disbelieving what they saw.

"I told you, Africa would never let me die," Quartermain yelled to them and everyone turned. Tom began to race towards the gravesite again. Skinner smiled. He knew something was going on and here it was, Quartermain alive and looking rather dusty. Everyone raced for Quartermain. All except for Dorian. He wasn't sure whether or not Quartermain would forgive him. After all, he had betrayed the whole league, tried to sink the Nautilus, taken the members abilities, almost revealed them to the world and had almost destroyed mankind and society as we know it. He had accomplished a lot in the past; he couldn't help but take pride in his cunning for he was a very proud man. Dorian was snapped back to the reality of now when he heard

"Dorian!"

He looked up and saw Quartermain waving to him. He stopped for a second. Why would Quartermain so readily forgive him unless there was something going on he didn't know about. The thought passed quickly through his head and he began to walk towards the group.

"Well, Welcome back Quartermain," Dorian greeted him. The next thing he heard was a ringing in his ears and a whoosh as the bullet hit his chest. He stumbled back, expecting to die.

"What did you do that for?" Dorian asked and watched the bullet melt. 'Well,' he thought to himself 'At least I'm still immortal.'

"For betraying the league" he heard and looked to the voice. It was Mina. She was holding Sawyer's silver pistol. She then handed it back to Sawyer and smiled slyly. Sawyer placed the shining pistol back into the holster at his side.

"Welcome back, Dorian, although you shouldn't even be back, how did you do it?" Quartermain asked and shook Dorian's hand.

"I wouldn't be able to tell you, Quartermain, and I should be asking you the same," Dorian responded. That question had perplexed him ever since he woke up, still pinned to the wall, as Mina had left him.

*~*~*

Dr. Jekyll paced back and forth. 'Back and forth, back and forth…' he heard Edward Hyde's voice in his head. Jekyll looked around the elegant room. The floor was covered in fine East Asian carpets, and the walls were bookshelves pilled high with books. In the centre of the room was a large round table and the table was surrounded by leather couches, each seating about two people. Jekyll was early. The meeting had been called for 9 o'clock. His invitation had arrived just as he was finishing a new batch of potion. He knew they would come in handy.

*~*~*

Skinner stepped into the room quietly. He was wearing his face-up (as he liked to call it), and his long black coat. The first thing he saw was Dr. Jekyll.

"Evenin', Jekyll," he greeted Dr. Jekyll and sat on the nice leather couch.

"Good Evening, Skinner, good to see you again," Dr. Jekyll responded and sat next to Skinner. He smiled, realizing the pun of his line.

"As to you, has anyone told you anything? I'm bloody well sick of having to run all over the place," Skinner complained. Just as Dr. Jekyll was about to respond, the double doors at the front of the room burst open and a man in a suit walked in, followed by Allan Quartermain and Tom Sawyer.

"Welcome back, gentlemen, where are the rest of the league?" the man asks and walks to the centre of the room.

"Who? Mina and Dorian?" Skinner asks and shrugs. Again, the front door busts open and in walks Dorian Gray.

"Evening" Dorian says and sits down on the couch next to Skinner's and Jekyll's.  At almost the exact moment Mina flew in through the above window. Might as well make a grand entrance, she had always said. As she landed, she proceeded to sit next to Quartermain which left Tom to sit next to Dorian. 

"Why in bloody hell are we here, AGAIN?" Skinner asked. The mystery man stood in the centre of the room and addressed them all.

"I am Nicoli Varie, head of her majesty's secret service, and you have been called here on another mission."

*~*~*

A/n: Another mission! Yay! I will write Chapter 3 very very soon, I love writing this story. 


	3. The sisters, Galaxia and Andromeda

A/n: Thanks for the review ya'll. Don't exactly know when they figured out the DNA system but go with me here, please? Also, mild swearing.

*~*~*

"Another one?" Jekyll asked curiously. 'Well, another mission,' Dorian thought smugly. He thought maybe this might be his chance to make it up to the league. Maybe he could get Mina to forgive him.

"Yes, Dr. Jekyll, we have been informed of a new enemy who is threatening to release a forty-eight hour disease on London, which will then spread through the world, how we don't know," Nicoli Varie informed them all.

"And who might this enemy be?" Quartermain asked, mildly curious as to if this 'new enemy' might have any relation to the former enemy of the league.

"Catherine Rogue" Varie answered but before he could continue he was rudely interrupted.

"A woman?" Tom Sawyer asked in a little over the top astonished tone.

"Do you have something against a woman being a villain, Sawyer?"  Mina asked with a death stare glinting in her eyes and her lips pressed thin. Lightening flashed outside. 'Extremely ironic' Dorian thought.

"No, it just seems a little outrageous-" Tom tried to defend himself.

"Outrageous this is not," Varie interrupted "This disease she threatens to release attacks a gene in your DNA, this gene controls your body temperature, sometimes causing the body heat to go up so far as to cause combustion. Would you like to blow up, Mr. Sawyer?" Varie glared at him. Tom couldn't answer; he was too stunned by the verbal attack.

"I didn't think so. Rogue has an immense amount of weaponry at her disposal; she works on her own, except for one little thing," Varie trailed off.

"And that is…?" Skinner asked, watching the uncomfortable look on Varie's face.

"She has an alter-ego," Varie informed them and, seeing the confused looks on almost every members face, continued, "Another person inside her, another personality, rather confusing when you're speaking to her, two-faced so to speak." A feel of understanding descended over the room.

"Where is she?" Quartermain asked, giving the secret agent a smoldering look.

"Venezuela" Varie answered.

"And?" Quartermain prodded him to continue.

"And, some of us will be traveling to Canada to collect a few things," Varie finished.

"'To collect a few a things'? A few things like what?" Mina asked and stared at Varie so hard he gulped.

"Three new members" Varie admitted. Dorian felt flabbergasted. Three new members? How would he adapt?

"The Callahan sisters, and an elusive Miss La Rochelle," Varie decided to just admit it now. He pulled out three necklaces, each containing a ever-changing colour orb, the first was a blue green mix which he handed to Dorian, the second was an orange red, which he proceeded to hand to Tom, the final was black and purple which, to everyone's shock, he handed off to Dr. Jekyll.

"Why are the men only receiving these orbs?" Mina asked a now scared Varie.

"The new members are women, we, the league, have a better chance of recruiting them if we give them to the male of the league," he explains. Mina acknowledges this by a slight nod.

"When do we leave?" Tom asked enthusiastically. 'The prospect of meeting women must be enticing to him, understandably,' Dorian thought, looking over at Sawyer. He looked almost the same, except his eyes. They seemed to be deeper and more mature.

"Right now" Varie says. Nemo looks proudly at everyone.

*~*~*

Arriving, in Newfoundland, Canada was a shock to the league. The temperature below zero and a blustering, blithering blizzard was pounding outside. None wanted to venture outside, except the lonely people already on the streets.

Quartermain was the first to depart the warmth of the Nautilus. Every member matched in identical snow white coats with beige faux fur trim at the edges of the sleeves and hood. Varie had instructed them to go to the nearest bar. Dorian wondered what kind of new members these women were going to be if they spent most of their time in a bar. And he would soon find out.

"The Callahan sisters, apparently the most devious you'll ever see, they prefer the cold and wind," Varie had given them the little information they had on the desolate duo. Tom and Dr. Jekyll had both volunteered to handle each sister; Dorian would handle Miss La Rochelle. According to what Varie has said, she sounded more of his "type" anyways, so Sawyer and Jekyll could have the boisterous sisters. Although, he was a little concerned about Jekyll. Jekyll was far too passive to handle one of them and Sawyer…seemed, well, _immature._ Especially to a pair of twins. They'd think it was a great game.

But, La Rochelle had intrigued him. The name was French, obviously. He knew that. She was, supposedly, as cunning as he and even more sarcastic. Or, at least that's what he had interpreted when Varie had said "She's a loner and a bit bitter."

As Tom and Jekyll entered the bar, Nemo pointed Dorian towards a darkened castle on a large ridge.

"Loner indeed" Dorian commented as he headed towards it.

*~*~*

Inside the bar, Mina looked around. The place was crawling with scum. And on the bar were the worst.

"You ain't seen nothing yet" two girls sang and walked up and down, along the bar. Tom was in shock for a second and Jekyll, had, well, gone back to clicking his watch nervously. 'Fools' Mina thought, looking at the now pale Jekyll.

As soon as the girls were finished their song they both walked in symmetry out of the bar, into the back room. The group followed, ignoring the looks of other bar-goers.

The door swung open with a whoosh and revealed an empty room. It wasn't well lighted and looked like a basement or storage closet. Skinner peered around cautiously and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, a sound jostled in the corner. Again, nothing out of the ordinary for an old creepy place. A screech rang out and Tom looked up. A bat flew down, doing a loop-de-loop in mid air, and as soon as it hit the ground it was a human again. A rat runs out of the corner and, just as quickly as the first, is a human too.

"We know why you're here" the first said. Her skin was dark, her eyes were dark, and her hair was a silky brown with purple in it.

"And we refuse" the second said. Her skin was light, her eyes were light, and her hair was a shiny blonde with orange in it.

"You have not even heard us out yet" Quartermain protested.

"We already know" the first said again. Tom raised the orb from his neck. The second became entranced by the swirling orange and red and walked over to Tom.

"Galaxia!" the first yelled to her sister. Galaxia did nothing to protest Tom taking her arm. Her eyes were faded, as if in some dreamland. Jekyll followed suit and took out his orb. The same affect was wrought over the first sister. Tom placed the orb back underneath his shirt and Galaxia snapped back to life.

"Andromeda! What have you done to her?" Galaxia asked, for once, thinking without her sister to boss her around. Andromeda remained motionless, still absorbed by the orb's powers.

"Don't worry, Galaxia. If you just join us, Andromeda will be fine," Quartermain bargained with her.

"Fine!" Galaxia yelled, knowing nothing else to do. Quartermain took the Andromeda's wrist and Jekyll put away the orb. Andromeda automatically tried to free herself but Quartermain was too strong. How had she gotten into his grasp? She could try to transform but Quartermain would still have a grasp on her no matter what she was. Damn! She was trapped. Quartermain and Tom brought the sisters to the Nautilus and, with the help of Captain Nemo, managed to convince the girls to join their cause. They didn't want to explode either. 

*~*~*

A/n: Phew. That took a long time to write. Next chapter: Dorian meets La Rochelle.


	4. The Dinner

A/n: Thanks for the reviews (again, sooooo gracious *bows*), but, to the-unbreakable-jade: I agree, Jekyll is cute! And Newfoundland was always there since the Vikings named it (a long, LONG time before 1900's, October, 9th 2000 celebrated 1000 years after Leif Ericson landed on Newfoundland, so that means Newfoundland was discovered, officially, in the year 1000) but Newfoundland wasn't Newfoundland, Canada till 1949 (Y'know like actually on the confederation). History lesson! Until 1949 it was mainly inhabited by the British, French, Spanish/Portuguese and the natives. Anyways, hope that clears it up! (^_^) On to the story!

*~*~*

Dorian watched the looming castle. Nothing was moving but the blinding snow as he reached up and pounded the door knocker. The sound reached for miles and echoed in the valley below. No one answered. Again, he knocked. Again, no answer. He was soon sick of knocking and opened the door, peering inside. Nobody was there. In fact, the place looked like it hadn't had a living soul in it for centuries upon centuries.

"Hello?" Dorian yelled. It echoed, just like he valley only hollower. A slim and trim figure walked out of the shadows.

"Hello" the woman responded dully. She was young, looking to be about 19, and pale.

"Are you Miss La Rochelle?" Dorian asked and took a step forward. She took a step back.

"Yes, who are you?" the girl inquired. Dorian smiled.

"Dorian Gray, from the Extraordinary League of Gentlemen, I'm here to recruit you," he said and stepped towards her again. She was too distracted by the question to step again, deeper into the shadows.

"Oh, well, no," she said.

"No? You haven't even heard my offer," Dorian tried to win her over.

"Offer?" curiosity played at her face.

"Offer, what is your first name?" Dorian asked.

"Alexandria" she said. 'Alexandria La Rochelle' Dorian repeated in his mind.

"That's not a French name" he recognized.

"Greek, my mother was a fan of the mythology," she said quietly. Dorian stepped even closer. She could smell him. The mixture was of cologne and something else she just couldn't put her finger on. It seemed foreign.

"Ah, you wouldn't be scared of little ole me, would you?" he teased.

"No," she said adamantly and remained in place "I don't know you; you barge into my home, and try to get me to fight? Why should I be scared?" Her sarcasm bit into him. Finally, some spirit. He'd been worried for awhile there.

"So, you won't come voluntarily?" Dorian asked. She crossed her arms.

"No" she fought back. Too many people had trampled over her in her life and now she was sick of it. She watched Dorian reach into his shirt and pull out a necklace…with an orb…this was where her mind went blank.

*~*~*

On the Nautilus, Andromeda and Galaxia were settling in their new room.

"Why is there another bed? Do you think there's some one else?" Galaxia asked and was given a glare by Andromeda as if to say 'How can you be so naïve?' The door swung open and bother the girls looked over. Another girl, slender and pretty walked into the room. She looked disgruntled.

"Hello" Galaxia greeted her. The other girl sank onto the bed.

"Hi" she said grumpily.

"What's you name?" Galaxia asked, but at the same time Andromeda asked "How'd they get you?"

"My name," she responded "is Alexandria La Rochelle and that stupid man, Dorian Gray," she mimicked his accent "used an orb necklace."

"Aren't they beautiful? What colour was yours?" Galaxia asked. Alexandria saw a sparkle in her eyes.

"Blue and green" she replied.

"Mine was orange and red, Andromeda's was purple and black," Galaxia said and pointed towards Andromeda.

"What do you have to offer the league?" Andromeda asked.

"I have to offer THEM something? They practically kidnapped me," Alexandria complained. She didn't like this. She did not like this at all.

"What's your power?" Galaxia said in a whisper. Alexandria got the feeling Galaxia was probably the puppet to Andromeda. She gave Galaxia a look, but Galaxia didn't notice it.

"I have psychic powers" she gave a vague description of her powers. Her powers were far further than psychic.

"We can transform, plus I have ice breath and she can create fire, shh, they don't know that yet," Galaxia put her index finger over her mouth, indicating silence. Andromeda rolled her eyes.

*~*~*

"Supper is served in the dinning room" Tom popped in to the girl's room, seeing they all looked very disgruntled, except Galaxia who brightened up when she saw Tom.

"Hi Tom!" she said. Andromeda swapped her.

"You know his first name?" she asked. Galaxia rubbed her arm.

"He has the nice necklace!"

*~*~*

Mina and Jekyll walked down the hallway together. Jekyll seemed highly more nervous than usual.

"Is something wrong, Dr. Jekyll?" she asked him. He looked at her doubtfully.

"Yes, Mina, something has been troubling me lately," he admitted "How are we supposed to trust these new members if we need orbs just to control them? It seems to me like maybe they're a bit dangerous."

"Of course they're dangerous, why else would the league have to snap them up before Catherine Rogue got to them?" Mina reasoned. Jekyll nodded.

*~*~*

Nemo, Quartermain, and Tom were all heading up the opposite hall to Mina and Jekyll. They all remained silent but knew the question on each other's minds. Who were these new girls? And what was the girl who Dorian had recruited like? They entered the dining room and each sat at their respective places. Another chair was set next to Tom, Dorian, and Jekyll. Each of the girls sat next to their recruiter, Alexandria a little more reluctantly than the others. The conversation was as light as new company could get. Galaxia giggled over Tom, Andromeda liked Jekyll, she thought he was 'wimpy' even though she knew he had a heart of gold, and Alexandria, unbeknownst to herself, was actually beginning to like sitting with Dorian. He was a lot better than the stone gargoyles in her house.

Dorian felt he had accomplished his goal. He had made Alexandria smile at least once and he thought maybe she was warming up to him. Tom was very happy with Galaxia and Jekyll did enjoy Andromeda's spontaneous attitude. Mina sat in the corner, looking sulky, and every once in awhile, Quartermain would see her glance around the table as if to say something but then decide against it. Skinner was the life of the party, making his jokes, and, as usual, he and Nemo would sit in silence letting the atmosphere soak in. The dinner went smoothly, in Nemo's opinion. Everyone else agreed, even though none said it out loud.

Eventually, everything must come to an end. All went they're separate ways and into their separate rooms for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow was bound to be just exciting as the day before it.

*~*~*

A/n: Okay, so I didn't let on what Alexandria's power was and I'm not very good at cliffie's but I'm just wondering something. I don't know if it'll work for everyone, but I think I might try it.


	5. Jekyll and the chickens

A/n: Thanks for the reviews again. Oh, well, I don't own LXG or any of its characters, except Alexandria, Galaxia, Andromeda and Catherine Rogue, so far anyways.

*~*~*

The sun peeked through Dorian's dark curtains. He stirred and moved away from the sun. He was having a good dream! He reluctantly got out of bed and headed to breakfast.

This morning was eggs and some type of fruit he did not feel like trying to figure out. Some type of desert fruit, he thought. Maybe they were close to Venezuela? He walked into the main cabin and noticed Quartermain before the huge globe that identified their location.

"Why are you up so early, Quartermain?" he asked, trying to be cheery. He gave up. It was far too early to be cheery.

"Plotting our course, Rogue is somewhere in the Venezuelan jungle," Quartermain answered, still watching the globe. Dorian sighed. Quartermain was always on the spot.

"Have you eaten yet? The kitchen seems to be serving some sort of desert fruit today," Dorian asked, seeing that Quartermain did not particularly care about the fruit the kitchen was serving today.

"No, not yet," Quartermain answered again, in a monotone. He sure was tired. Maybe he should rest. Dorian decided to leave; there was no point in staying. Quartermain was too focused.

*~*~*

Meanwhile, wandering through the halls was Alexandria. She couldn't sleep. These people's dreams had kept interrupting her sleep. Her mind and powers were free during sleep and were manipulating the others stimuli. She had heard Jekyll walking through the halls last night, muttering "Hospital, hospital, must save the chickens." She wondered why he had picked chickens; maybe he had a fear of them. Or a particular love. She'd promised then and there to try and control her powers. She didn't want to see anyone hurt, even though they had kidnapped her. But, chickens? Why chickens?

  
*~*~*

The Nautilus was on course perfectly and nothing happened that day, well, besides when Tom brought up poor Jekyll wandering through the hallways muttering "Hospital, hospital, must save the chickens." Which brought on a bit of a tiff between Jekyll and Tom. But it did not deter the group much, Tom was always arguing about one thing or another. Tomorrow they arrive in Venezuela!

*~*~*

A/n: Okay, okay, this chapter sucked. But it's kind of a prologue, interlude chapter-ish thing.


	6. What is going on? Note: The chicken thin...

A/n: Thanks for the reviews and sorry (so sorry) that this took so long to update! I do not own LXG or any of its characters (sobs). I just had to make Dorian a bit more self centered in this chapter.

*~*~*

Venezuela was a welcome change from Canada, or at least that's what Skinner thought. Sure the weather was hot; the jungle was packed with wild animals that could kill anyone in a split second, and everyone was dressed in heavy clothing, but at least it wasn't cold. Skinner hated the cold, it ruined his skin, made him chap, then he'd have to yank off the skin and peel away the dead layers. He thought it was fun but his roommate, Tom, was not as fond of it as he. Downright revolted him, actually.

Dorian, however, was not adjusting to the warm temperatures as well as Skinner. It caused him to become irritable and even ruder. This in turn, caused everyone else to avoid him. Even though sometimes they were a boring group, they at least had their moments. It also made him sweat, and Dorian Gray did not sweat, it made him look shiny.

Alexandria wasn't favoring the weather either. It had caused her usually calm demeanor to take a leaping dive right out the window.

Galaxia was in absolute hysterics. Her hair was ruined! Damn this heat! How could she ever get that pretty orb from Tom if her hair was in such a terrible condition?! How could she even talk to Tom with hair like this?!

Quartermain just didn't care about the weather, he had lived in Africa most his life, and he was used to it. Mina was a bit annoyed but wouldn't let on that it bothered her. Jekyll had become accustomed but Hyde was stressing out, yelling to be released.

*~*~*

Tom, becoming bored decided he would be the first to check for Catherine Rouge's layer. As he left the Nautilus, he heard the usual jungle noises and started to absorb in the atmosphere. Keeping his hands to his side, where his pistols lie in waiting, he walked into the think underbrush.

Seeing that the foliage was thick, he was about to turn back when he heard a gunshot ring out. 'Must be Quartermain' he thought and headed back towards the large lake where the Nautilus had docked. Again, another shot. But this time, he sensed it was closer. Another and another. That was when Tom realized, he was under attack! He pulled out his pistols, a bullet nearly missing his arm. Who was it? Where was he? Tom shot towards a patch of foliage and began to sidestep back to the Nautilus. It was only a few feet away when he felt something hot graze his shoulder. It hadn't hit directly, only a skin wound. Now, he saw the Nautilus door open and realized Andromeda was exiting. She was caught off guard as he yelled for her to get back in the ship when he saw her fall. He ran towards her, dodging more bullets, picked her up and flung himself inside. He quickly slammed the door but not before seeing a man walk out of the bush. He recognized the blonde hair and tipped hat. It was him.

Had it not been for Jekyll walking down the corridor at that precise moment, Tom might have fainted.

"Tom! Andromeda!" Jekyll yelled and raced towards them. Somewhat instinctively, he pulled out his orb and placed it next to Andromeda. Even though she didn't know it, her body went into stupor which caused her wound to stop bleeding. With Nemo's help, Jekyll managed to get Andromeda and Tom up to his room. Nemo could handle Tom who was incessantly babbling "Me, me, it was all me." Jekyll quickly ripped open the shoulder of Andromeda's shirt, making sure the orb was close by.

"Nemo, you might want to turn away," Jekyll instructed, holding up a pair of surgical tongs. Nemo nodded and put his back to Jekyll and the next thing he heard was the very audible scream of Andromeda. Even the daze of the orb couldn't stop the pain she felt when the tongs entered the bloody, fleshy wound and pulled out the bullet slowly. Jekyll felt sorry for her, but the bullet had to be removed. He gave one last tug and, seeing the blood, the bullet came loose. At that exact same moment, Andromeda fainted.

*~*~*

Holding the bullet removed from Andromeda's shoulder, Quartermain's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It was one of Sawyer's bullets (he knew this by the markings) but he also knew Tom would never shoot a member of the league. Tom had been given sedatives so he couldn't be expected to defend himself in a logical manner at the present time. What exactly had happened? All Jekyll knew was that he was going to Nemo's room when he walked past the exit and saw Andromeda and Tom both lying on the floor. He had, of course, alerted Nemo, and they both helped Tom and Andromeda. Something was missing. Who was the shooter? Was it Tom or could it have been one of Catherine Rogue's cronies who had just happened to get Tom's bullets? The rest of his time until supper was spent pondering questions like these.

*~*~*

Nemo broke the news to the rest of the crew at supper. To Galaxia's double dismay though. As if it wasn't stressful enough having your own sister shot and having an orb holder thought the shooter, she had fixed her hair and now he wouldn't get to see it! Galaxia began to weep into her hands. Skinner, being the gentleman he was, placed his arms around Galaxia and whispered that everything would be alright.

Dorian and Alexandria glanced at each other. Where was Tom? What part did he play in this fiasco? Alexandria suddenly realized she was staring at Dorian. She quickly glared and looked back at her soup. She swirled her spoon around it for a second and dared to take another glance at him. What was he doing? She wondered as she watched him reach into his shirt. Her mind went blank again.

*~*~*

"Could you please refrain from doing that at supper Dorian?" he heard someone ask. He turned to the voice and was surprised to see it was Jekyll.

"But she does look beautiful completely still like that, almost a human statue," he said and stared at her. She blinked, but very slowly and remained very still. Dorian placed the orb back to its original holding place and she came out of her daze, knowing nothing of Jekyll defending her and knowing nothing of Dorian's stares.

*~*~*


	7. Explanations

> > > Disclaimer: I do not own LXG or any of its great, amazing, fantastic, characters and I stand to make no profit from this story.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> Tom stared at the ceiling, listening to Skinner's snores from below him. He ran the day's events through his head again. The shot, Andromeda falling, and then himself in the foliage. He had figured Catherine Rogue must have had something to do with it. Maybe she had been sending him images through sound waves or she had a crony who dressed like him and shot like him. As the hours dwindled away, Tom's theories became more and more ludicrous. Eventually he came down to one conclusion: He must be crazy.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> Galaxia, meanwhile, remained stressed in her sleep. Her sister wasn't there and her mind was beginning to have a break down. Without her sister to lead her around, Galaxia didn't know anything about the world. She had promised herself to get that orb, no matter how hard or how long it took.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> The next morning, Andromeda was alive and well. She had to change but Jekyll was treating her as best he could. She liked Jekyll. He could stand to be a bit less passive but overall he was a good man and a great doctor. In secrecy, he had told her his particular fear was chickens. She had asked why and he had explained that as a child he had been attacked by them. She shuddered.
>>> 
>>> Her night had been spent peacefully. She had pushed the little voice telling her to look for her sister to the back of her mind and had ignored the light pain pulsing though her shoulder.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> Dorian was pacing. He didn't feel like eating breakfast, he never needed food anyways. Obviously something was troubling the immortal creature. It wasn't the shooting or Tom on the brink of insanity, or Andromeda on the edge of life, staring death in the face. No, these problems did not concern him; the League could handle a mere bullet. But the shooter being Tom? This concerned him. Tom would not shoot a member that readily, so Dorian had deducted that it was a doppelganger.
>>> 
>>> Catherine Rogue must have retrieved their DNA from the bottom of the arctic, but how? The ice was meters thick, the water's temperature was in the negatives, if any mortal were to survive the temperatures and venture that deep they would practically implode.
>>> 
>>> "Any mortal" Dorian repeated.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> "Everyone's here then?" Quartermain asked. The group had assembled in the war room and all were nervously waiting to hear why they had been called.
>>> 
>>> Galaxia was feeling much better now that Andromeda was back. She felt a great deal more relaxed knowing her sister was there to protect her. But the jitters didn't stop. She was sitting next to Tom and was scared that Andromeda might do something dangerous but she seemed calm enough.
>>> 
>>> "We've learned what Catherine Rogue has done, thanks to Dorian and Skinner," Quartermain informed the league. Dorian remained indifferent but Skinner proudly smiled.
>>> 
>>> Mina smiled at Jekyll slightly and he smiled back. Andromeda glared at the vampiress. Alexandria stared at Quartermain, he mind drifting to different things. The sisters meant nothing to her, Jekyll had helped Andromeda well enough, but what connection kept her to the league? They didn't ask, they merely kidnapped her into it.
>>> 
>>> She glanced at Dorian quickly.
>>> 
>>> He looked as smug as ever.
>>> 
>>> Really, doesn't he realize he has at least one flaw?
>>> 
>>> Maybe one of his back teeth was astray. He definitely looked the part of perfect but deep somewhere in his mind, there must be something….
>>> 
>>> Her eyes widened.
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> "She's made clones of us? How?" Mina asked, feeling a rise of anger threatening to choke her.
>>> 
>>> "Me" Dorian said simply.
>>> 
>>> "You? You've betrayed the league again?" he growled "You, who was on the brink of death and you, whom I saved, have betrayed us?" His body was itching to hit Dorian. This was the most upsetting for Jekyll. After all, no one wanted another Hyde unleashed on the world.
>>> 
>>> Quartermain rested a hand on Jekyll's shoulder reassuringly.
>>> 
>>> "No, Moriaty cloned me while I worked with him secretly, and the clone must have managed to retrieve the pieces of us," Dorian said all this rather calmly, even though his mind was reeling. It was Jekyll who had saved him, Jekyll who had kept his portrait and must have reversed the spell. Dorian was impressed.
>>> 
>>> "But we have a secret weapon" Quartermain indicated.
>>> 
>>> "What?" Alexandria asked with mild curiosity. Her mind had still been on Dorian.
>>> 
>>> "You."
>>> 
>>> :::
>>> 
>>> I will update very, very soon. I have completely neglected this story and I feel terribly horrible. Hope you enjoyed!


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